Coin controlled postage affixing device for letters



March 30, 1937. BROOK 2,075,092

COIN CONTROLLED POSTAGE AFFIXING DEVICE FOR LETTERS Filed July 15, 193-4 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Q \l E Q k [u r w r uWlN/V. NTZR ATTORN EY March 30, 1937. D. H. BROOK COIN CONTROLLED POSTAGE AFFIXING DEVICE FOR LETTERS Filed July 13, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE TOR ATTORNEY March 30, 1937. D. H. BROOK COIN CONTROLLED POSTAGE AFFIXING DEVICE FOR LETTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 13, 195-4 l m 2 Q R n w m r .QN g v i H .LI W Y\ mm ula II B O nml l l W r 2 6 a t 1 Anny. m :5 H HHHIIIIILLI UHHIU I I ll- Q Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN CONTROLLED POSTAGE AFFIXING DEVICE FOR LETTERS 4 Claims.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for receiving a letter and ailixing thereon a postage paid designation in accordance with the respective value or number of coins ini serted into a slot or slots.

mounted upon a governmental mail box or may be placed at suitable points, as, for example, drug and cigar stores. The device eliminates the necessity of purchasing adhesive stamps and applying them to the envelopes of letters preparatoryto mailing.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- i

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a governmental mail box having an embodiment of the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device with the right-hand side plate removed immediately prior to release of the upper pawl for changing the Z0 feeding direction of the inking ribbon, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 2 showing the positions of the parts upon release of the upper pawl.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 66,

a0 Fig. 1 1.

line

.0 ll-| I, Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detailed view in elevation of an inking ribbon feed ratchet wheel and its detent.

Referring to Fig. 1, a usual type of governmental mail box is indicated at I, and at 2 is shown a casing and exterior operating members of an embodiment of the invention. -At the top of the device 2 is a coin slot 3 for the insertion of coins for special delivery and air mail, or for multiple-ounce letters, as, for exampleQthe insertion of one dime will emboss on the letterenvelope three-ounce, first-class postage. Coin slot 4 is adapted to receive one-cent pieces and suitable multiples thereof, as, for example, three one-cent pieces. On the front wall of the device is an operating handle 5 below which is a coin regulating thumb wheel 6 adapted to be moved to three positions for air mail and special delivery, also one-cent postage, two-cent and threecent postage. 0 In the embodiment of the invention illustrated,

The device may be the embossing stamps are disposed rearwardly of an inking ribbon. The ribbon lies adjacent a passageway at the side and top of the device, for reception of the letter, the passageway being indicated at 'L In the present embodiment, there are five embossing stamps indicated respectively'at 8, 9, I0, II and I2. The embossing stamps are carried by a transverse frame plate l3 having horizontal apertures to receive endwise movable shafts, each shaft carrying oneof the embossing stamps. The ends of the shafts project forwardly of frame member I3. The shaft 8x for embossing stamp 8 is of minimum extension. The shaft 9aof embossing stamp 9 projects forwardly of shaft 8:1: and the shaft I01: of embossing stamp ill projects forwardly of shaft 92:. In this manner the embossing stamps may be successively operated by a single operating member and said member is adapted to operate the uppermost embossing stamps l0 without action of the underlying embossing stamps in accordance with a coin-control hereinafter to be described. Each shaft 8:13, 9:1: and I 01B is provided with a head or shoulder l4 contacted by a spring l5 mounted in a suitable recess formed within frame member l3 and the springs serve to normally project the shafts forwardly, the frame members serving as a stop for the embossing stamps per se.

To the left of the embossing stamps 8 to ID inclusive are two additional embossing stampscarried by shafts 16a: and Hit, the uppermost of the two shafts being projected forwardly a greater distance than the shaft l6a:. The construction of the shafts I692, Hm, is the same as those carrying embossing stamps 8 to ID inclusive and each shaft held in retracted position by a corresponding spring l5.

Mounted in the casing for reciprocation is an actuating block 18 which rests upon a shelf-like supportl9. The block is formed with a coarsely threaded aperture to receive a propelling screw 20, the latter having a shaft-like projection extending exteriorly of the casing and carrying operating handle 2|.

Within a shallow casing 22 is'a spiral spring 23 having one end fixed and the other end connected to propelling screw so' that the operative movement of the propelling screws is against the tension of said spring 23. handle 2|, actuating block I8 is moved toward the embossing stamp shafts and upon release of the handle the spring 23 will return the block to initial position. An operative movement of the block will have no effect upon the shafts, however, unless a coin or coins are in position inasmuch as the block is provided with suitable recess, as, for example, at l8r, to receive the shafts, said recesses merging into laterally projected clearances for the coins as shown in Fig. 7,

By turning l8 will bring the coin into engagement with shaft 10 3x. A letter having been placed in the letter passageway of the device, embossingstamp will be operated to embo'ss a one-cent postage designation upon the envelope. If a two-cent postage is required, the second one-cent piece will rest upon the first and shaft 91: only will be operated because it projects toward the actuating block a greater distance than the lower shaft proportionate to the degree of operative movement of shaft 32:. 11 a three-cent embossing is required, the

go two lower coin units will support the third unit in position opposite shaft Him, the actuating block will move embossing stamp ill to full operative position before shaft 3a: is engaged by the coin opposite thereto.

g5 Inasmuch as the construction of the special delivery and airmail embossing stamps and supporting shafts are the same as those previously described in detail and the uppermost of the two shafts is longer than the one underlying it, in-

30 sertion of one coin will operate the lower shaft and emboss a ten-cent postage designation on the letter and the insertion of two coins will cause the uppermost one only to act, its action being upon the uppermost shaft, and embossing a twenty-cent postage designation.

As hereinbefore stated, the action of the embossing stamps is through inking ribbons. At

the top of the device are two opposed arms for rotation a stub shaft 21 (Fig. 4) carrying a ratchet wheel 28 and a detent wheel 29. As shown in Fig. 12, a detent spring 30 may be carried by arm 25, in each case, the spring having a suitably formed head 30:: for engaging the detent wheel. Stub shaft 21 is formed with a squared axial aperture toreceive the squared end of spool shaft 3|. Upon the shaft are two spools 32 each carrying an inking ribbon led downwardly intermediate the embossing stamps and the letter passageway 1. Each side of the actuating block pivotally supports a pawl 33 engaged by a spring 34 so designed as to move theend of the pawl upwardly until the rear end of the pawl engages a stub pin 35. To each of thelower sides of the actuating blocks is fixed a carrying arm 36 for a pawl 31 engaged by spring 38 in such manner that the end of the pawl oppositethe pawl head is normally held againsta stop pin 39. 60 The inking ribbons at the lower end of the device are received upon two spools 40 on a. spool shaft 4|, Fig. 11. This spool shaft will have squared ends each to be receivedwithin the axial squared aperture of a stub shaft 42, Fig. 10,

which shaft is rotatably carried by arms 25x, one

at each side of the casingat the lower end thereof and supported by a stud screw 261:. Each upper arm 25 is connected to the corresponding lower arm 25:: by a link 43.

From the above construction it will be noted that each set of inking ribbon spools is on a shaft carried by swinging arms. When, therefore, the ribbons are unwound from their top spools and the lower spools continue their winding action,

- the ribbons will come under tension and resist further rotation of the spools. The ribbons will be firmly connected at their ends to the spools in practice.

The link 43 at each side of the device is utilized as a yielding support for the swinging arms and means are provided for quickly releasing the upper ratchet wheels from their pawl and applying the lower ratchet wheels to their pawls when the ribbons have been wound in upon the lower spools and a predetermined degree of tension is exerted upon the upper spool shaft 3|. To this end, each link 43 is provided with a lateral extension 43:: formed with a shallow slot 43m: to receive a pin 44:: carried by a pivotally supported detent arm 44, the arm being engaged through pin 44.: by a spring 45. Spaced stops '46 determine the opposite sides of the dead center of detent 44. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 3, detent 44 is above the dead center and is so held by spring 45.

If the tension upon the ribbon a is such that it prevents rotation of spool shaft 4|, pawl 31 in its active forward movement will bodily swing the ratchet wheel in a downwardly directed are thus moving link 43 downwardly the slight distance sufiicient to bring the detent 44 to and slightly below the dead center and then spring 45 will give a quick downward movement tolink 43 carrying the lower ratchet wheels 28:: out of engagement with pawl 31 and carrying the upper ratchet wheels 28 into engagement with their pawls 33. A reverse action is had when in the continued operation of thedevice, the ribbons are wound fully upon the spools 32 and tension is placed upon the spools 4|] and hence upon the spool shaft and arms 25:11, which will cause links 43 to move detent 44 upwardly past the dead center.

The operation of the coin control thumb wheel 8 is as follows:

When a single coin, as, for example, a one-cent piece is placed in slot 4 it will move downward by gravity to shelf l9 opposite shaft 8: of embossing stamp 8. I

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 11, operation of handle 2| would move the coin off the shelf and permit it to fall before contact by the coin with the end of shaft 8x. However, by moving thumb wheel 6 so that the pointer comes in register with the indication I, the thumb wheel willturn coarsely threaded screw 41 and move shelf section I91: forwardly to increase the effective length of the shelf. Therefore, operation of the handle 2| will cause the coin to come in contact with shaft 8x and operate embossing stamp 8. When thumb wheel 6 is moved so that its pointer registers with the numeral 3 on the casing, which will move shelf extension I92: away from shelf IS a distance sufficient to permit passage of coins downwardly from the coin chute rearwardly of plates 24 succeeding a movement of the actuating block l8 sufiicient to carry the topmost of three coins, inserted through slot 4, into register with shaft Him. Thus, the coin will be held clamped upon shaft Illa: in the active movement of the actuating block, but the two lower coins willbe permitted to fall downward when they come into register with a vertical line drawn intermediate shelf I9 and the shelf extension member In. The latter member may be provided near its lower end with a boss apertured to receive a guide post 49 secured in fixed position, the post preventing rotation of the shelf extension upon the screw 4'! and thus compelling reciprocation by the screw.

When two coins are placed in coin slot 4, the

uppermost coin will lie in register with shaft 91c and the pointer of thumb wheel 6 may be moved in register with the casing notation 2 which will position shelf extension l 92: a distance away from 'shelf IE to permit passage of the coin. Thus, when handle 2| is operated to move the actuating block, the uppermost of the two coins will be clamped upon the end of shaft 9:1: and the bottom coin will, in the actuation of the shaft be carried to a point intermediate the shelf and the shelf extension and will drop downwardly to, the coin tray A.

Means are provided for temporarily checking the return of a shaft previously actuated through 5 a coin held by the actuating block so that in the retraction of the block the coin is released from the end of theshaft with which it has been in contact and thereafter the shaft is released. To that end, each shaft may be provided with a lat- 0 erally extending stud screw 50, Fig. 9, carrying a link 5| extending parallel with the shaft but at a suitable distance laterally thereof, and frame member I3 may have secured thereto a detent spring 52, Fig. 8, adapted to enter a seat formed in the top of link 5|. Thus, when the shaft is moved forwardly to its full extent in order to emboss a stamping indication upon an envelope, the detent will hold the shaft in such position. However, the end of the link is provided with a slot at 53 and a pin 54 is fixed to the actuating block l8 which will enable reciprocation of the block for a limited distance without affecting the link but continued movement will cause the pin to come in contact with an end wall of the slot and forcibly move the link so that the spring detent will be released and the shaft will return to initial position. Said temporary holding of the shaft however will release the coin.

That section of shelf [9 lying under shafts 16m and i750 (Fig. 10) will be higher than the section lying under shaft 83: to correspond with the respective distances of shaft 16$ and H0: from the base of the device. Shelf extension 19x will in its section underlying shafts I611: and l'lzc have 5 a corresponding increased height.

Although spring Will be generally suflicient to maintain the inking ribbon elements in each of their two positions, supplemental means may be provided, as, for example, that shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 4, the stub shaft 2! is formed at its end with a semi-spherical recess to receive either detent 53 or 54 in accordance with the lower or upper position of the ribbon feed means. In the embodiment shown, the detents are short shafts, rounded at one end and having collars against which press coil springs 55, the assembly being enclosed within a cage 56, the shaft projecting inwardly through suitable apertures formed in casing I. If desired, a plurality of such detent at each end of shaft 3|.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the embodiment shown without departing from the spirit of the invention, thus, any suitable means may be employed for inkin the stamp members in substitution of the inking ribbon. It will also be understood that the term embossing is used in a broad sense to mean the application to an envelope or other mailalole matter enclosure of a postage paid designation.

It will be noted that the letter box and easin may be so related as to have communication whereby opening of the letter box by the Government collection mail-man and removal of letmeans may be employed, as, for example, one 4 ters or packages will expose coin drawer A from the interior of the letter box i (Fig. 11) for collection of the coins therein.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:--

1. A postage affixing device for letters, comprising a casing having a passageway for insertion of a letter or other article to be acted upon, a supporting wall adjacent said passageway, a plurality of postage afiixing members mounted forwardly of said passageway for movement, an actuating block movable toward and from said stamp members, coin passageways, coin supporting means below said passageways and adapted to support coins, each in register with a postage affixing member, means for adjusting said supporting means from a point exterior the casing, said adjusting means comprising a shaft passing through the casing, a manually operable handle exterior to the casing for rotating the shaft, and means carried by the shaft and engaging the supporting means and adapted upon rotation of the shaft to impart bodily movement to the latter toward and from the front wall of the casing, and means for moving the actuating block in reverse directions.

2. A postage affixing device for letters, comprising a casing having a passageway for insertion of an article to be acted upon, a fixed frame member within the casing, a plurality of shafts held in vertical superposed position by said frame member for endwise reciprocation, the shafts being of successively different lengths, a stamp carried at the end of each shaft, means for normally holding the stamps in retracted position in register with said passageway, an actuating block movable toward and from the shafts and having clearance for said shafts whereby movement of the block to maximum position toward said shaft does not affect the latter, coin guiding means contiguous to a wall of the actuating block and adapted to hold one coin in register with a shaft or a plurality of coins in register with successive shafts, means operable for moving the block toward and from said shafts, and coin releasing means.

3. A postage affixing device for letters comprising a casing having a passageway for insertion of a mailable article, a plurality of post-age afiixing members supported within the casing for endwise movement and having contact members of successively different lengths, means for moving the postage affixing members toward said passageway comprising a coin-holding carrier adapted to receive coins in succession and to support the first coin in register with one of said contact members, and a succeeeding coin in register with a second of said contact members and manually operable means for moving saidcarrier toward the passageway, whereby one coin will engage its contact member prior to engagement by a second coin with its contact member.

4. A postage affixing device for letters constructed in accordance with claim 3 in which the contact members of successively different lengths are vertically arranged, the lowermost coin contact member being of the shortest length, whereby the uppermost of a plurality of coins placed in the coin holding carrier will, in the operation of the device, cause active movement of its appropriate contact member prior to operation of a lower contact member.

DAVID H. BROOK. 

